Set-top box reboot and polling tool

Abstract

A system and method for polling a plurality of client devices of different types are provided. A reboot and polling tool pre-polls client devices, where the pre-poll is specific to a type of client device and identifies a state of the client devices. The reboot and polling tool then executes a script on the client devices that changes the state of the plurality of client devices. After the script is executed, the reboot and polling tool post-polls the client devices where the post-poll is specific to the type of client device and the post-poll provides information that identifies changes in the state of the client devices caused by the script.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for communicating with a plurality of client devices within a computing system environment, the system comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions; 
 a processor configured to execute the instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, configuring the processor to:
 select an RF node from among a plurality of RF nodes within the computing system environment, 
 identify client devices that are associated with the RF node from among the plurality of client devices, 
 identify first client devices that are a first type of client device from among the client devices associated with the RF mode, 
 identify second client devices that are a second type of client device from among the client devices associated with the RF mode, 
 format a script into a first format that is compatible with the first client devices to generate a first message that is specific to the first type of client device and a second format that is compatible with the second client devices to generate a second message that is specific to the second type of client device, the first type of client device being different from the second type of client device, and 
 
 issue the first message to the first client devices to cause the first client devices to perform a first action and the second message to the second client devices to cause the second client devices to perform a second action. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first message comprises a first Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) message that is specific to the first type of client device, and
 wherein the second message comprises a second SNMP message that is specific to the second type of client device. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first message, in relation to the second message, comprises a different field or different information within a field that is particular to the first type of client device. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first action comprises changing a state of the first type of client device, and
 wherein the second action comprises changing a state of the second type of client device. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to:
 identify the first client devices from among the client devices associated with the RF node that are of the first type of client device and that require a software upgrade; and 
 identify the second client devices from among the client devices associated with the RF node that are of the second type of client device and that require the software upgrade. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first action comprises rebooting the first client devices, and
 wherein the second action comprises rebooting the second client devices. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first action comprises polling the first client devices for information, and
 wherein the second action comprises polling the second client devices for information. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for communicating with a plurality of client devices within a computing system environment, the method comprising:
 selecting, by a processor, an RF node from among a plurality of RF nodes within the computing system environment; 
 identifying, by the processor, client devices that are associated with the RF node from among the plurality of client devices; 
 identifying, by the processor, first client devices that are a first type of client device from among the client devices associated with the RF node; 
 identifying, by the processor, second client devices that are a second type of client device from among the client devices associated with the RF node; 
 formatting, by the processor, a script into a first format that is compatible with the first client devices to generate a first message that is specific to the first type of client device and a second format that is compatible with the second client devices to generate a second message that is specific to the second type of client device, the first type of client device being different from the second type of client device; and 
 issuing, by the script executing on the processor, the first message to the first client devices to cause the first client devices to perform a first action and the second message to the second client devices to cause the second client devices to perform a second action. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first message comprises a first Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) message that is specific to the first type of client device, and
 wherein the second message comprises a second SNMP message that is specific to the second type of client device. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first message, in relation to the second message, comprises a different field or different information within a field that is particular to the first type of client device. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first action comprises changing a state of the first client devices, and
 wherein the second action comprises changing a state of the second client devices. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the identifying the first client devices and the second client devices comprises:
 identifying, by the processor, the first client devices from among the client devices associated with the RF node that are of the first type of client device and that require a software upgrade; and 
 identifying, by the processor, the second client devices from among the client devices associated with the RF node that are of the second type of client device and that require the software upgrade. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first action comprises rebooting the first client devices, and
 wherein the second action comprises rebooting the second client devices. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first action comprises polling the first client devices for information, and
 wherein the second action comprises polling the second client devices for information. 
 
     
     
       15. A system for communicating with a plurality of client devices within a computing system environment, the system comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions; 
 a processor configured to execute the instructions, the instructions, when executed by the processor, configuring the processor to:
 select a RF node from among a plurality of RF nodes within the computing system environment, 
 identify client devices that are associated with the RF node from among the plurality of client devices, 
 identify first client devices that are a first type of client device from among the client devices associated with the RF node, 
 identify second client devices that are a second type of client device from among the client devices associated with the RF node, 
 format a script into a first format that is compatible with the first client devices to generate a first message that is specific to the first type of client device and a second format that is compatible with the second client devices to generate a second message that is specific to the second type of client device, the first type of client device being different from the second type of client device, and 
 issue the first message to the first client devices and the second message to the second client devices. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first message comprises a first Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) message that is specific to the first type of client device, and
 wherein the second message comprises a second SNMP message that is specific to the second type of client device. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first message, in relation to the second message, comprises a different field or different information within a field that is particular to the first type of client device. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to:
 issue the first message to the first client devices to cause the first client devices to reboot, and 
 issue the second message to the second client devices to cause the second client devices to reboot.